Vertically-adjustable case for bottles or the like.



APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1911.

Patented Jan. 2, 1912.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

F. W. BEACH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 5, 1911.

Patented Jan. 2, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

VERTIGALLY ADJUSTABLE CASE FOB. BOTTLES OR THE LIKE.

COLUMBIA ILANOGRAPH C0" WASHINGTON. D. c.

Y 16 Wblmmeo 7976 77 FRANCIS W. BEACH, OF SGHUYLERVILLE, NEW YORK.

VERTICALLY-ADJUS'IABLE CASE FOR BOTTLES OR THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 5, 1911.

Patented J an. 2, 1912.

Serial No. 625,193.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS W. BEACH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Schuylerville, in the county of Saratoga and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inVertically-Adjustable Cases for Bottles and the Like, of which thefollowing is a specification. a

My invention relates to a case or stand and in combination therewith ofmechanism for supporting it at one or another elevation.

The invention has been especially devised with reference to being usedby undertaker-s for supporting the bottle or bottles they use inembalming processes, the object being to produce a case for inclosingand supporting a bottle, that may be adjusted to such elevation as itmay be desired to support the bottle during the various steps of theembalming processes.

While the invention has been especially devised with reference toconstituting an adjustable support for a bottle, it is apparent that thenovel features of the apparatus are adapted to be modified in shape,size and construction for supporting other articles.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a case forsupporting a bottle, the parts being in folded positions, part of thecase being broken away. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the case whenthe parts are arranged as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontalsectional view taken on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sideelevation of the apparatus with the legs extended and the case elevated,part of the case being broken away. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectionalView taken on the line VV of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail view of apartition plate that may be used for supporting a short bottle. Fig. 7is a side view of two cases telescopically supported one upon another.

In the drawings 2 designates the case which is preferably formed ofsheet metal strengthened at its opposite ends by wires 4 over which themetal is folded, the case being of a shape and size to suit the articleit is intended to contain and support, in the present instance, a bottleA. A sight opening 3 may be in one side of the case through which thebottle and its contents may be examined.

The support upon which the bottle rests is represented as being a plate5 supported near the lower part of the case, but at such distance fromits end as to leave below it a chamber 6.

8, 8, indicate the legs, four in number, upon which the case may besupported. These legs are preferably arranged at the four corners of thecase, when it is of the shape shown in the drawings, and are adapted toslide in tubes 7 which are preferably located inside the case. When thecase is not in use or when it is not desirable that it should beelevated above the surface on which it rests, the legs are slid into thetubes as indicated in Fig. 1. They may, however, be drawn out to theposition shown in Fig. 4, or to a position intermediate between thoseindicated in Figs. 1 and 4, when the case and bottle, or other articleit supports, will be more or less elevated above the support on whichthe legs rest. In order to hold the case at the desired elevation, Inotch the legs, as indicated at 10, 10, and provide springs 9, secured,as by clips 20, to the case, preferably at points just below thesupporting plate 5, to engage with the notched portions of the legs andhold the latter, as indicated in Fig. 4. The legs are provided at theirouter ends with feet 14, that are preferably formed by bending the legsat right angles, as indicated in the drawings. The legs are united, neartheir outer ends, by a frame 12 which is formed with bearings 13 withwhich the legs are free to rotate, but not to move longitudinally. Astar wheel 15 is supported by the frame 13 being united thereto by apivot 16, and links 17 unite the arms or rays 18 of the star wheel withthe feet 14'of the legs.

19 designates a bail by which the star wheel may be turned upon itspivot.

From the foregoingdescription, taken in connection with the drawings, itis apparout that by turning the star wheel the legs may be rocked upontheir longitudinal aXes, from the positions indicated in Figs. 1 and 2to those represented inFigs. 4 and 5, and back again. WVhen adjusted tothe first indicated position, the feet of the legs are brought withinthe confines of the case, which permits them, the frame 12 and themechanism for turning the legs, to be moved into the chamber 6 below thepartition 5, where these parts are out of the way and concealed. Thepositions of the notches 10 are such that when the legs are turned, asindicated in Figs. 1 and 2, they are out of the'lines of engagement wlththe springs 9 so that the legs can then be freely slid either inward oroutward without interference from the springs. The legs are, however,preferably formed near their outer ends with notches ll so disposed thatwhen the legs are turned inward, these notches, 11, will be in positionto be engaged by the springs when the legs are drawn out to the extremelimit, thus serving to prevent the legs being accidentally pulledentirely out of engagement with the case.

In using the apparatus, when it is desired to elevate the case, the legsare first drawn out from the chamber 6 until the feet 14 clear the lowerend of the case, when by operating the mechanism that rotates the legs,they may be turned with the feet extending outward as indicated in Figs.l and 5. Then the legs may be extended until the case is brought to thedesired elevation where it will be held by the engagement of the springs9 with the notches 10.

It is sometimes desirable to use a small bottle of approximately buthalf the height of that represented in Fig. 1. In that event a removablepartition or supporting plate 21 is employed. It is placed within thecase, resting on the upper ends of the tubes 7. When not in use theremovable partition 21 may be supported within the case as inclicated indotted lines in Fig. 1, being provided along one edge with a curvedflange 22 adapted to hook over the upper edge of the case.

When the invention is used by undertakers, who commonly carry twobottles, one for receiving the aspirated fluids drawn off from the bodyand the other the embalming fluid, there may be two cases, 2, 2, asindicated in Fig. 7. In that event, only case 2 need be provided withthe extensible legs. The other case, 2, has its lower end shaped to betelescopically inserted into the upper end of the case 2. This enablesthe case supporting the bottle that is in use to be convenientlysupported at a greater elevation than is possible when a single case isemployed.

I do not wish to be limited to the exact mechanism which I have shownfor turning the legs, though that which I have illustrated is simple inconstruction and effective in operation, and the form which I now preferto adopt.

hat I claim is 1. The combination of a case or support, longitudinallyadjustable legs therefor provided at their ends with laterally extendingfeet, the legs being also rotatable about their longitudinal axeswhereby when they are turned to certain positions the feet are broughtwithin the confines of the case and when turned to other positions theyextend out beyond such confines, and means for holding the legs in thepositions to which they may be adjusted.

2. The combination of a support or case provided at its lower end withan open chamber, supporting legs therefor having feet at their ends, thelegs being longitudinally adjustable and arranged to have the feet ofthe legs slide into the chamber in the end of the case and concealed orto be drawn out therefrom to support the case at an elevation, and meansfor holding the legs in the various positions to which they may beadjusted.

3. The combination of a case or support, a plurality of longitudinallyadjustable legs therefor, each provided at its end with a laterallyextending foot, the legs being rotatable about their longitudinal axeswhereby when they are turned to certain positions the feet are broughtwithin the confines of the case and when turned to other positions theyextend outward beyond such confines, means for simultaneously rotatingthe legs, and means for holding them in the various positions to whichthey may be longitudinally adjusted.

4. The combination of a case or holder, longitudinally adjustablesupporting legs therefor provided at their ends with laterally turnedfeet, the legs being rotatable, means for rotating the legs to turn thefeet thereof outward, and catches for engaging with and holding the legsin the positions to which they may be adjusted when the feet thereof areturned outward.

5. The combination of a case provided near one end with a partitionleaving below it an open chamber, longitudinally adjustable legs forsupporting the case provided at their outer ends with laterallyextending feet, means supported on the legs near their outer ends forturning them about their longitudinal axes, and means for holding thelegs in the positions to which they may be adjusted, the said means forturning the legs, and the feet of the legs themselves, being adapted toenter and be concealed within the said chamber at the end of the casewhen the legs are rotated into proper positions.

6. The combination of a case or stand, longitudinally adjustable legstherefor provided at their ends with laterally extending feet, a frameuniting the legs near the said feet, a pivoted member supported on theframe, and links uniting the pivoted member with the legs and arrangedto turn the latter about their longitudinal axes.

7. The combination of a case provided near one end with a partitionleaving an open chamber below it, longitudinally adjustable notched legsprovided at their lower ends with laterally extending feet, a frameuniting the legs near their lower ends, a 1'0- tatable member pivotallysupported by the plate, links connecting the said pivoted memher withthe feet of the legs, the said rotatable member being arranged to turnthe legs about their longitudinal axes to either bring the feet thereofwithin the confines of the case or else to have them extend outwardbeyond such confines, the said leg-connecting frame, leg-turningmechanism, and the feet of the legs, being arranged to be confinedwithin the chamber below the partition when turned inward and the legsslid inward, and spring catches for engaging the notches of the legs tohold them against longitudinal movement, when the legs are turned withthe feet extending outward.

8. The combination of a case, tubes on the inside of the case extendingfrom the lower end of the case part way toward the upper end thereof,extensible legs for the case extending into the said tubes, means forholding the legs in the positions to which they may be adjusted whendrawn outward, and a removable plate adapted to rest upon the upper endsof the said tubes and constitute a support for an article placed withinthe case.

FRANCIS W. BEACH. Witnesses:

JOHN S. BARKER, W. M. HAYS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.

